Weatherman Johnny Mountain, a fixture on Los Angeles TV for the past 30 years, is retiring, KCBS has announced.

In addition, between 12 and 20 staffers were let go last Friday, March 19, at KCBS and its sister LA statiom, KCAL, reports LAObserved.com.

According to the LAObserved report, by Kevin Roderick, "I’m told that at least a dozen staffers were let go today, perhaps as many as 20, and that many of them were considered close to former news director Nancy Bauer-Gonzales, who was replaced in January. Anchor Suzanne Rico’s bio is already gone from the website (it was there earlier today.) TV sources say that managing editor Paul Skolnick, news ops manager Doug Dougherty and producer Jeff Soto are among those who are out."

Weatherman Mountain has been at KCBS since 2005. For the 27 years prior to that he was at KABC in Los Angeles.

31 Comments

i am so sorry to hear that johnny is retiring- he was a real favorite in our household. it would have been nice to to give him some sort of send off or at least to acknowledge his service over the last 30 yrs. in l.a. the only reason jackie does the weather is her figure and provocative dress – it is certainly not her personality unless you are fond of wet corn flakes. i guess i will watch abc.

Diane I think you are absolutely right I really enjoyed watching Johnny but to watch the belt lady is something else. Its sad when the station can’t mention that one of their leading people are leaving.The viewers are left hanging wondering what has happened to them, like you I will probably watch another channel

Sorry Hell,I’m madder then Peter Finch. “I’m mad as hell and I’m not taking it anymore” Network the movie.Count me out.I’m not watching channel 2 local news anymore.Are you trying to follow in NBC
footsteps.The chemistry that Johnny Mountain created when he was on air and his informative weather delivery was a major reason for watching.

What ever the reason, my wife and I wish Johnny Mountain good luck and best wishes. We will miss him. We were wondering why we had not seen him on the air lately. We thought he had fallen ill or something. We are sorry the powers to be were afraid to say why Johnny had not been on the air. It takes guts to speak up. But thats the way it is now in the corperate world. Hit and hide until you can make up some kind of excuse why you have disapointed your customers. We are one of those customers and investors who is very disapointed. If Johnny joins another network, we’ll be there.

I hab been wondering why he was not on, but it is no surprise they just pulled the plug oh him. I agree with the rest of you, there are other channels you can watch, and I’ll see you all there. Also, why not let the man tell us himself?

I, like the other writers was concerned that we hadn;t seen Johnny Mountain in a while. Pretty sleezy to dump him with the garbage without even an acknowledgement of his contribution to the station. I hope it bites the big wigs in their…..if you get my drift. Is there NO honor any place any more?

I am a Pennsylvania fan of Mr. Mountain. We have direct tv and I get the West Coast Channals. I enjoyed watching him. Wish we had personalities like him on the East Coast. Will miss him and wish him and his family well.
I, too, think the network did him and his fans a dis-service by not letting him say good bye to his “family of fans”.

I have been so worried about Johnny Mountain, and his well being. Why would the station not make a formal announcement, and give him some sort of a more then well deserved Good Bye! He will be greatly missed, and I guess we will watch Dallas Raines and/or Fritz Coleman. Hope they don’t just disappear into the night. Bad Karma and Bad Public Relations on this station stature…..

they never let us know when one of the newscasters or reporters are leaving. just one day they are there and then nex they are on channel. We get to know these people, kind of a part of our family. I am starting to watch channel 5 more now. I can see why no one would want to work with Ken whats his name in the morning, he is so patronizing and really loves himself way too much.
oh well, life goes on I guess, i am glad Josh is still there. I lived in Rockford Il when he was there, he is great and it hasn’t gone to his head being here.

What ever happened to respecting those that helped make your business successful? Johnny Mountain will be missed and deserved to be acknowledged for his great presentation of the weather. CBS you did not handle this with any concern for your viewers!

What ever happened to respecting those that helped make your business successful? Johnny Mountain will be missed and deserved to be acknowledged for his great presentation of the weather. CBS you did not handle this with any concern for your viewers!

I AM SORRY THAT JOHNNY HAD TO LEAVE. HE AND PAUL WERE THE ONLY REASON I WATCH YOUR NEWS CAST. THE YOUNG WOMAN YOU HAVE ON NOW WEARS HER SKIRTS SO TIGHT THEY BUNCH UP. COULD YOU REPLACE HER WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS MORE PERSONALITY THAN THE WET RAG PERSONA SHE PROTRAYS.

Johnny Mountain was a household name for many a viewer to just slam the door at his back was awful. Like many of you I chose CBS for both Johnny and Paul, there were occasion that Laura raised the hair on my neck but I just let it go. As for Jackie! Well I guess I will just continue to watch the Nanny re-runs and just depend on my aches and pains for the weather. She is just TV Candy. A real Weather Girl Barbie. CBS needs to step up to the plate.

Since Johnny Mountain left I no longer watch CBS or KCAL news. Johnny was the best and will be sorely missed. His replacement, Jackie, doesn’t have the professional qualities that Johnny Mountain demonstrated daily, her voice and her style are far from professional…..she adds nothing.

well everyone is right This is terrible Johnny Mountain is the only reason I watched your newscast. Now you can also not say goodbye to your customers I will also not be WATCHING CBS2 Or Kcal9 Anymore and neither will my family and Friends.We all hope your Happy!!!

My family and I were among those who love Johnny Mountain and only watched CBS because of him. So we will now go back to KABC!!! Love their weather people…..so informative and we don’t have to put up with Jackie and her too tight clothes and non-information

I was saddened to find out Johnny was not doing the weather any more. In reading the previous comments it appears that it was not his choice. The current weather chic does nothing to enhance the weather story. She is not very professional or knowledgable…..

I finally did a search to find out what happened to Johnny Mountain. Every night I watch Jackie Johnson I cringe at how inappropriate her outfit is. She ought to be embarrassed – clothing cannot make up for charisma. If I had small children in the house I wouldn’t want them to see the poor example she sets.

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My wife and I were always wondering where Johnny was. We thought that he must be on a time we don’t watch, the news.
He was the BEST weatherperson on LA TV. These bimbo’s that are on Channnel 2 can’t carry Johnny’s jock strap.
We don’t watch Channel 7 because it’s too loud and not informative. I’ll just watch Channel 11, now

I’m one of those people who watched Johnny Mountain on KABC and followed him to KCBS. Actually I only watched him give the weather report and flipped over to other news cast until I felt that I heard enough of local news and went on to view national news. I guess that is why it took me so long to do a search engine on what happen to Johnny Mountain. Yes, he is sorely missed even on to this day. I wish I could find out how he is doing, and if he is with another station anywhere in the USA today!

I’m one of those people who watched Johnny Mountain on KABC and followed him to KCBS. Actually I only watched him give the weather report and flipped over to other news cast until I felt that I heard enough of local news and went on to view national news. I guess that is why it took me so long to do a search engine on what happen to Johnny Mountain. Yes, he is sorely missed even on to this day. I wish I could find out how he is doing, and if he is with another station anywhere in the USA today!